scholarly journals Comparative Analysis of the Normalization Techniques in the Context of MCDM Problems

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-25
Author(s):  
Ahmet Aytekin ◽  

NormNormalization is an essential step in data analysis and for MCDM methods. This study aims to outline the positive and negative features of the normalization techniques that can be used in MCDM problems. In order to compare the different normalization techniques, fourteen sets representing different scenarios of decision problems were used. According to the results, if the decision-maker chooses to take the alternative with the highest value in the criteria and avoid the one with the lowest value, or vice versa, optimization-based normalization techniques should be preferred, whereas the reference-based normalization techniques are considered appropriate for situations where there are ideal values determined by the decision-maker for each criterion. However, if the decision-maker believes that the values in the criteria do not represent the monotonous increasing or decreasing benefit/cost, then non-linear normalization techniques should be used. Also, in the event of a change in the conditions mentioned above, the decision maker may opt for mixed normalization techniques. However, some data structures, such as the presence of zero, and negative values in the decision matrix, can prevent the use of some normalization techniques. The choice of the normalization technique may also be affected by the problem of rank reversal, the range of normalized values, obtaining the same optimization aspect for all criteria, and the validity of results.

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Velichka Traneva ◽  
Stoyan Tranev

Analysis of variance (ANOVA) is an important method in data analysis, which was developed by Fisher. There are situations when there is impreciseness in data In order to analyze such data, the aim of this paper is to introduce for the first time an intuitionistic fuzzy two-factor ANOVA (2-D IFANOVA) without replication as an extension of the classical ANOVA and the one-way IFANOVA for a case where the data are intuitionistic fuzzy rather than real numbers. The proposed approach employs the apparatus of intuitionistic fuzzy sets (IFSs) and index matrices (IMs). The paper also analyzes a unique set of data on daily ticket sales for a year in a multiplex of Cinema City Bulgaria, part of Cineworld PLC Group, applying the two-factor ANOVA and the proposed 2-D IFANOVA to study the influence of “ season ” and “ ticket price ” factors. A comparative analysis of the results, obtained after the application of ANOVA and 2-D IFANOVA over the real data set, is also presented.


2021 ◽  
pp. 016344372110227
Author(s):  
Yingzi Wang ◽  
Thoralf Klein

This paper examines the changes and continuities in TV representations of Chinese Communist Party’s revolutionary history and interprets them within the broader context of China’s political, economic and cultural transformations since the 1990s. Drawing on a comparative analysis of three state-sponsored TV dramas produced between the late 1990s and mid-2010s, it traces how the state-sanctioned revolutionary narratives have changed over time in response to the Party’s propaganda imperatives on the one hand, and to the market-oriented production environment on the other. The paper argues that while recent TV productions in the new century have made increasing concessions to audience taste by adopting visually stimulating depictions and introducing fictional characters as points of identification for the audience, the revolutionary narratives were still aligned with the Party’s propaganda agenda at different times. This shows the ongoing competition between ideological and commercial interests in Chinese TV production during the era of market reforms.


2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (02) ◽  
pp. 513-525 ◽  
Author(s):  
Blanca Ceballos ◽  
David A. Pelta ◽  
María T. Lamata

Rank reversal is a common phenomenon in multi-criteria decision-making methods. It appears when the addition/deletion of new options to the alternatives’ set produces a change in the original ranking. In this contribution, we want to assess this phenomenon in the context of the VIKOR method. Using randomly generated multi-criteria decision problems, we confirmed that rank reversal existed and strongly depended on VIKOR’s parameter. Also, we observed that the influence of the number of alternatives was stronger than that of the number of criteria. Finally, although rank reversal may exist, we saw that it may not affect the top alternative of the ranking, thus potentially having a low impact.


Author(s):  
Helena Gaspars-Wieloch

Purpose – scenario planning is very helpful when the decision maker deals with uncertain issues. Probabilities are also frequently applied to such problems. In the paper, we examine the correctness of combining probabilities with scenario planning in economic decisions which are usually made under uncertainty. The goal of the article is to find and discuss cases where the use of probabilities in scenario planning is appropriate and cases where such an approach is not desira-ble. Research methodology – in order to achieve this target, we first make a concise literature review of existing approaches concerning the application of probabilities to scenario planning. Then, we investigate and compare diverse decision mak-ing circumstances presented by means of numerical examples and differing from each other with regard to the nature of the decision problem (way of payoff estimation, novelty degree of the problem, access to historical data etc.) and the de-cision maker’s objectives and preferences (one-shot or multi-shots decisions, attitude towards risk). We explore the newsvendor problem, the spare parts quantity problem, the project selection problem and the project time management with scenario-based decision project graphs. Findings – the work contains both recommendations already described in the literature and suggestions formulated by the author. We get to the point that scenario planning is unquestionable support for decision making under uncertainty, however, the use of probabilities as an accompanying tool may be necessary and justified in some specific cases only. Their significance depends for instance on (1) the number of times a given variant is supposed to be executed; (2) the de-cision maker’s knowledge about the considered problem; (3) the novelty degree of the problem; (4) the decision maker’s conviction that the probability values really reflect his/her attitude towards risk. The analysis of numerical examples leads us to the conclusion that scenario planning should not be linked with the likelihood (1) for one-shot decisions problems; (2) for decision problems related to different kinds of innovation; (3) in the case of lack of certainty which type of proba-bility definition ought to be applied to a given situation; (4) if the decision maker anticipates new future factors not in-cluded in historical data. Research limitations – in the paper we mainly analyse one-criterion problems and payoff matrices with data precisely de-fined. Further conclusions can be obtained after investigating multi-criteria cases and examples with interval payoffs. We limit our research to selected probability definitions. Nevertheless, a wider review can lead to new interesting observa-tions. Practical implications – the aforementioned findings are crucial in such domains as economic modeling and decision the-ory. The results of the research can be used in planning, management, and decision optimization. They provide valuable guidelines for each decision maker dealing with an uncertain future. Originality/Value – authors of previous papers related to this topic have already formulated many significant conclusions. However, this contribution examines the problem from a new point of view since it concentrates on novel decisions, con-cerning unique, innovative or innovation projects (products). It encourages the decision makers to treat problems usually called in the literature “stochastic problems” (i.e. with known probability distribution) as “strategic problems” (i.e. with unknown probability distribution). This is especially the case of the newsvendor problem and the spare parts quantity problem


2003 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 75-80
Author(s):  
I. D. Yevtushenko ◽  
A. Sh. Makhmutkhodzhayev ◽  
T. V. Ivanova ◽  
O. V. Parshina ◽  
I. A. Ryzhova ◽  
...  

A clinical prospective examination of 90 women with complete pregnancy and indications for labor induction because of unsatisfactory maturity of uterus cervix has been made. The aim was to create a comparative analysis of efficiency of intravaginal introduction of prostaglandin synthetic analogue E1 misoprostol («Sytotec») and intracervical introduction of prostaglandin E2 dinoprostone («Prepidil» gel) for uterus cervix preparation and labor induction at complete pregnancy. Misoprostol in a dose of 25 mkg has been introduced to pregnant women of the 1 group (n=44), every 4 hours not more than 3 times. In case of discharge of waters or labor activity the second introduction has not been done. Dinoprostone has been introduced intracervically in a single dose to pregnant women of the 2 group (n=46). The use of misoprostol has been accompanied by spontaneous beginning of labor activity by 2 times more often than the use of dinoprostone. The quantity of vaginal births within 12 and 24 hours of observation has been surely greater and the duration of time between the beginning of introduction and labor has been surely smaller in the group of women received misoprostol as compared to the one received dinoprostone. It has not been revealed any differences between examined groups by the frequency of uterus hyperstimulation symptom development, labor duration, frequency of abdominal and vaginal labor, as well as perinatal outcomes.


Author(s):  
Fareed Moosa

Sections 45 and 63 of the Tax Administration Act 28 of 2011 (TAA) confer drastic information gathering powers on officials of the South African Revenue Service (SARS). On the one hand, section 45 permits warrantless routine (non-targeted) and non-routine (targeted) inspections by a SARS official in respect of records, books of accounts and documents found at premises where a taxpayer is reasonably believed to be conducting a trade or enterprise. The purpose of such inspection is to determine whether there has been compliance with specific obligations by the taxpayer. Section 63, on the other hand, permits, on the grounds of urgency and expediency in exceptional circumstances only, warrantless non-routine (targeted) searches by a senior SARS official of a taxpayer and of third parties associated with a taxpayer, as well as searches of a taxpayer's premises and those of third parties. In addition, section 63 permits the seizure of relevant material found at premises searched. All searches and seizures must occur for the purposes of the efficient and effective administration of tax Acts generally. A comparative analysis of sections 45 and 63 of the TAA reveals the existence of key differences in the substance and practical operation of their provisions. This article distils these differences through an in-depth discussion of the nature and extent of the powers of inspection and search conferred by these provisions, as well as by conceptualising the terms “inspection” and “search” for the purposes of sections 45 and 63 respectively.    


Author(s):  
Weikang Qian ◽  
John Backes ◽  
Marc D. Riedel

Emerging technologies for nanoscale computation such as self-assembled nanowire arrays present specific challenges for logic synthesis. On the one hand, they provide an unprecedented density of bits with a high degree of parallelism. On the other hand, they are characterized by high defect rates. Also they often exhibit inherent randomness in the interconnects due to the stochastic nature of self-assembly. We describe a general method for synthesizing logic that exploits both the parallelism and the random effects. Our approach is based on stochastic computation with parallel bit streams. Circuits are synthesized through functional decomposition with symbolic data structures called multiplicative binary moment diagrams. Synthesis produces designs with randomized parallel components—and operations and multiplexing—that are readily implemented in nanowire crossbar arrays. Synthesis results for benchmarks circuits show that our technique maps circuit designs onto nanowire arrays effectively.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-36
Author(s):  
Pierre C. C. DIEDHIOU ◽  
Antoine SAMBOU ◽  
Ousmane NDIAYE, NGor NDOUR ◽  
Seydou K. DIEDHIOU

The "System of Rice Intensification"(SRI) represents a sustainable alternative to improve household yields and incomes. This study aimed to evaluate the yields and the profitability of the SRI and the Traditional Practices (TP) in Ziguinchor district, Senegal. A directed sampling based on criteria for selecting the system used and the cultivated varieties common to both systems was applied to collect the yield parameters and yields of paddy rice. Thus, 18 producers in the Badiate, Essyl, and Fanda sites were selected, nine per system and four 1 m2 yield squares were installed in each selected producer plot. A total of 72 yield squares, 36 per system, were installed, and an individual questionnaire was randomly administered to 55 producers using at least one of the systems to collect data on rice production and costs. The yield parameters including the number of fertile tillers per m2, the number of spikes, the weight of the 1000 grains are significantly higher (p<0.05) in the SRI including yield compared to the traditional system. Transplanting density and plant duration are higher in TP (26±5.6 plants/m2 and 26 days) than in SRI (16±0.4 plants/m2 and 16 days). The lower the transplanting density, the higher the yield parameters and the yield. The economic profitability, determined based on the benefit/cost ratio, is higher in SRI (1.5) than in TP (1.2). The SRI required a lot of technicality in its implementation and generated more cost of production. However, SRI was more productive and economically more profitable than the traditional system.


2017 ◽  
Vol 34 (69) ◽  
pp. 3-23
Author(s):  
Jeremías Lachman ◽  
Pablo Jack

This paper aims to study and compare the efficiency in futures markets for soybean crop between Buenos Aires (MATBA) and Chicago (CME–CBOT) for the years 1994 through 2015. There are numerous studies that analyze this phenomenon independently, but few of them have done a comparative analysis between marke- ts. Therefore, the main objective of this research — in addition to individually analyzing the efficiency in futures market in each country — is to be able to detect the existence of a relationship between the two markets. In this article we show that, in addition for market efficiency in all cases, market efficiency in MatBa was derived from the efficiency in CME–CBOT. This means that relevant information is transmitted from the Chicago market to the one in Buenos Aires. By using a cointegration approach based on Johansen (1995) we estimated the models with monthly and daily data.


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